The present invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous production of packages of the type including a conveying device which feeds in the individual objects or groups of objects to be packaged, a folding box which shapes the packaging material supplied in an endless form into a tube which encloses the objects or groups of objects and which has two protruding contacting flaps, a conveying unit for advancing the tube, welding members to produce a longitudinal seam of the package at the flaps, and welding and cutting devices to produce the transverse seam and sever the individual packages.
Devices of this type are known. During the manufacture of packages by means of such a device, the transverse seam is produced by pressing the tube and welding it by means of heated jaws of an appropriate pair of rollers in the region between two objects or groups of objects. This causes the air present in the tube cavity to escape.
In the packaging of certain types of products, this air can easily escape toward the rear between the tube and the objects. But if the objects to be packaged rest flush against the interior of the tube or adhere thereto, be it due to their consistency or as a result of electrostatic charges in the foil material of the tube, the escape of air is impeded. As a result, the finished packages have excess interior pressure and are consequently puffed up. This may lead to excess stresses on the welded seams and faulty folding. Furthermore, puffed-up packages are not well suited for further processing into larger packages.